The new Italian interior minister, Matteo Salvini, is planning to work with the Hungarian leader to challenge Brussels over its migration rulesOrietta Scardino/AP

Italy’s new interior minister, Matteo Salvini, has pledged to form an allegiance with the Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, suggesting that Rome will join eastern European nations challenging Brussels over migration rules.

“I have had a long and cordial phone call with Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban,” said Mr Salvini, who leads Italy’s anti-migrant League party. “We will be working with him to change the rules of this European Union.”

Mr Orban has refused to accept EU resettlement quotas of migrants and is passing a law that may outlaw charities that help asylum-seekers.

Mr Salvini took over as Italian interior minister after he forged a populist governing coalition with the country’s Five Star Movement, and he has promised to push Europe to resettle more migrants that…

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